McPherson, a fifth-year defenseman, was a healthy scratch in seven of the Devils' first eight postseason games. When Dan Kelly was slapped Thursday with a 10-game suspension, McPherson was Albany's next man up.

He and defense partner Marc-Andre Gragnani were on the ice Saturday for three Devils goals as Albany prolonged its postseason run with a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Marlies.

"He's been in and out of the lineup in the playoffs," Devils coach Rick Kowalsky said, "but that was his best game of the playoffs, by far."

McPherson, who has five goals in 293 career American Hockey League games, scored the game winner, sending the Calder Cup quarterfinal series to a Game 7. His slap shot, which bounced in off teammate Rod Pelley, gave Albany a 2-0 first-period lead.

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"I had an opportunity — once, unfortunately, that Dan was suspended — so you have to prepare like you're going to play every single day," McPherson said.

He has been a regular in Albany's lineup every season, but when Damon Severson and Seth Helgeson were sent down from New Jersey, the Devils' depth on defense increased greatly.

The Devils had McPherson skate warmups even in games in which he was scratched. He played once before Kelly's suspension, to give Reece Scarlett a game off Sunday. Before that, McPherson and Gragnani never had been paired.

"This is my third game with him, and we've done pretty well together," Gragnani said. "You have to learn his tendencies, and he has to learn mine. So far, so good. Knock on wood. Let's have a good one for Monday."

Kelly was suspended for an illegal hit to the head of Marlies rookie Andreas Johnson in Game 3 on Tuesday night.

Wedgewood feels at home

Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood, who grew up in the Toronto suburb of Brampton, has played some of his best hockey of the playoffs in the three games at Ricoh Coliseum.

"It's nice to have some people out who don't have the chance during the year or throughout my career to see me," said Wedgewood, who made 33 saves and is 2-1 in Toronto. "I have a good supporting cast. It's good to have family and friends, and then some relatives and neighbors to come out."

Another Marlies injury

Nikita Soshnikov, who had three goals in the last two games at Albany, was scratched by Toronto with an upper-body injury, giving Matt Frattin his first postseason action.

"We had to make a change," Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe said. "I decided to put him in and see where he was at."

Frattin, who is on loan from Ottawa, was a minus-2.

Albany's Game 7 history

Monday night will be the third Game 7 in Albany's 23-year AHL history. Both previous times were with the River Rats, and both came on the road.

The 1997 Rats won in Rochester 6-2 in a quarterfinal series. Hamilton beat them in the semifinals.

In 2008, the Rats lost to the Philadelphia Phantoms 2-0 in the opening round. That series included a five-overtime Game 5 loss at Times Union Center, still the longest game in AHL history.